HaPpY 4th bIrThDaY GABRIEL!!!

Why do I have days where I feel they are going way to slow???... but then other days I feel life is passing me by?  My first born baby boy... four years old!  Can you believe it?  I can't!  Gabriel is ... just... awesome... I love him soo much!  He brings us soo much joy!  So much fun!  So much spirit!  Thank you God for blessings and trusting us with Gabriel Michael!  My boy!!

Happy Birthday Gabriel!  We can not believe you are already 4 years old!  You are sooo much fun!  You have soo much energy!  You are soo funny!  You are soo caring!  You are JUST AWESOME!

:: 21 months ::

:: 2.5 years old ::

:: 3 years old ::

:: 4 years old ::

We LOVE YOU soooooo MUCH! xoxoxox

Grade One... here she comes!

Today was Ava's graduation ceremony... and it was wonderful.  It may sound silly but when we first decided to take the plunge and homeschool our children I would often feel guilty that they would not have some of the same experiences that my husband and I had.  Riding on a bus, graduation ceremony, school trips so on and so on.  But homeschooling has gone beyond what I thought it would be like.  The only clearest way I can describe it.. is that it fits.  It feels just so normal for us.  I love it!  We love it!  We have soo much more family time together.  We get to go out during the day (once we have schooled in the morning) when children are normally in school and just have fun!  Experience life!  Meet up with friends!  And my children's bond with each other is growing stronger and stronger everyday.  It is just awesome.

Here is our first homeschooling graduation ceremony as well as Ava and her dear girl friends:

I am starting to understand and appreciate that is alot more to homeschooling than 'missing out' on bus rides, school trips, recess and trying to keep up the crowd.  It's about growing and shaping our children into the best kids they can be.  The best that God wants them to be.  I am thankful that I am able to be home with my babies... a career, vacation, benefits, pension, shares in a company blah blah blah were so worth me forgoing.

Love you Ava!  SO proud of you! xoxoxo

the ME project...

Eight more days.. count 'em... until I reach my goal.  I've been pretty secretive about what I've been doing.  Because I thought I couldn't do it.  I thought I would fail.  I thought I would get injured.  I thought I would be lazy (about most things I attempt to do for myself) and stop.  I thought I was too big and heavy ... and just a big jiggly 35 year old lady out there.

But I have eight more days... until I for fill my goal.  I love it now.  I am hooked.  I am seeing results, slowly but surely my body has been changing.

I don't know why I have chosen this time to let the cat out of the bag... partly because I hate avoiding the topic.. the thing that I have been doing soo much.  So here it is... I've been running.  Yup.. can you believe it?  I've been going out about 5 days a week.  It all started very innocently... a lady from my church asked me if I would be interested in joining a learn to run clinic that she was going to going to as well.  I thought to myself... well I've always wanted to run but I didn't think I could do it with my knees.. and all the extra weight that I've been carrying around, but I thought I would try it out.  I liked the fact that they were all COMPLETELY new runners themselves... starting from ground zero.  That's what I needed... slow and steady. 

We started out running 1 min and walking 2 min (6sets), then run 1 and walk 1 (10sets).  It sounded easy enough.. but boy was my first night out was bad.  REALLY bad!  I couldn't even finish running 1 min and walking 2 mins.  My 'instructor' reminded me that I just had a baby 6 months ago and that I've never ran before and to give it time.  From then I was determined to do better FOR MYSELF.  We meet twice a week and we have a schedule that we follow on our own.  I forced myself to do more.  The other days we were just walking briskly and sometimes running but I opted to run the other days as well.

This is week 8 and we are now running 8 mins and walking 1 mins (3 sets) then finishing with a 2 min run at the end, totalling 26 mins running.  I will be running a 5k on the July 1st weekend.  That is my goal.  I don't know how well I'll do as far as time, I'm sure I will likely be over the 30 min mark.. but that's not the point.  The point for this - my first 5k is to just run it... to do my best.. and work from there.

So there you have it folks... if there was anyone who wanted to know.. or was even remotely curious as to what I've been up to ... that is it.  This is what I have designated.. the ME project.  It is time for me, just me... to get healthy, to clear my mind, to loose weight, to push myself to my own boundaries, to be happy... and I think I deserve it.

I am a runner. ☺

Strawberry Harvest!

Today was another busy day in our home.. and to add to the busyness.. Ava, Nanny and myself went strawberry picking!  It was soo much fun.  Ava really enjoyed having a special day with mommy and Nanny.  It is difficult to *schedule* in special outings and times with our four children.. but I think this was a nice way to spend some mommy/daugther/grandmother time.  Ava did really well... she picked and filled her own 4 litre basket... and probably ate 4 litres as well! ☺☺ *perhaps we should have paid for an extra basket*

So this year I am trying something a little different.. I usually make strawberry freezer jam.  And yes they are strawberries and yes they are going in the freezer... but the process is a bit different this year.  I've got in on very good authority (thanks Aunt Gloria) that is the way to go!  And I am very happy with my decision.. for a number of reasons.  Ok... so on to the process of the way I will always make strawberry freezer jam:

Wash your jars and lids in hot soapy water and allow to air dry..

Gently wash your berries..

Hull them (remove the stem) and allow them to dry..

Squish them (to your desired chunkiness)..

Pour into your jars and add sugar (larger jars add 1 tablespoon, smaller jars add 1 teaspoon), STIR, then cover with your lids ..

Then freeze!

By adding sugar and freezing your berries you are preserving them without having to add very large amounts of sugar and the packaged preservatives.  I like storing my strawberries this was for a number of reasons.  They are washed, squished and already have sugar, you can simply thaw a jar and add straight to your toast, add as a topping to ice cream, use when baking strawberry muffins or any other recipe you want to add strawberries to.  I also really like the cute little jars, they are a nice touch to add to your breakfast table when you have guests, one for each end.  Or to take out a small amount when you just want to add to your yogurt.

I am glad that I went this route this year... I am certain my family will not be disappointed with our lovely fresh strawberries through the long winter months! ... Now to assemble some strawberry and rhubarb pies...

Happy preserving ☺

Still being woo-ed ☺

After 15 years together, 9 years married, 4 kids, buying/selling two homes, moving, job change after job change after job changed etc etc etc... I am still getting wooo-ed

Thanks hun for my mug!!  I love it!  xoxoxox

Today’s Tutorial: Building a Bird Cage

Step 1:

Using 2x2’s build a frame in the shape of a box.

Step 2:

‘Wrap’ the box like you would a gift using chicken wire.

Step 3:

Enjoy your summer lounging in your chair and watch the birds not eat your strawberries!!

Ha! Ha! Take that birds! Now our lovely strawberry patch can make wonderfully beautiful berries for our family!

A bit about ME

I enjoying taking pictures.  I studied photography while in school for Broadcasting Television.  It allows me to be creative, to express myself, to look at something from a different angle, to look at the beauty that God created.  They aren't fancy.. but they are mine.. here are some of my photos:

Use your Imagination..

What could you do with chalk paint? ...

Pretty creative eh?

SCHOOLS OOOUUUUTTT!

Monday May 31st marked out last day of school!  I can not believe that we got through the year!  Ava learned a lot, we both really enjoyed it - and WE DID IT!  This year has been soo awesome, that is not to say we didn't have days that weren't difficult or that the house was filled with crying and screaming or that some days we just didn't feel like schooling.. but overall this was one of the most amazing experiences ever!  I can not wait for this fall to start!  I have Ava's curriculum purchased and ready to go.  I've also put together a schedule where I will be incorporating other subjects.  We will be exploring Science, Chemistry, Social Studies and many many book studies.  I am also excited because we seem to be forming a little 'girl' group.  I know Ava really thrives on being around other kids.. and our little homeschooling group that is forming is AWESOME!  The moms are soo great.. we all have a different take on what homeschooling looks like - but you know what?  that doesn't matter!  What matters is we have taken on the role of teacher, we are trying form a different outlook on learning and that we are open to try different things! 

This fall we have a few more extras that we will try to add to the mix of our schooling; french class, theatre class, dance and a few others.

Since Monday was our last of school, we had a little family celebration... Ava was very proud.. and as she should be!  Blessings... and happy end of school.. soon.. ☺

Ava received a couple of rewards as well! ☺  Good Reader  and  Seatwork Award!  I also awarded Gabriel and Grace!  They *helped*  this year!.... Gabriel was 'Grrrrreat" at playing with Grace and his trains while I schooled Ava.  And Grace was 'Quiet as a Mouse' ☺